1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sport shoe and, in particular, to a sport shoe having a cradle for the metatarsal joint area adjacent the great toe of the foot and having a drag toe structure for protecting the shoe from wear due to toe dragging.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cleated or spiked sport shoes are well known and come in a variety of designs which facilitate anchoring of the shoe when running or playing sports and mobility for the wearer through the particular placement of the cleat or spike elements. A variety of spike configurations have been developed bearing in mind the particular sport for which the shoe is used and the particular surface upon which the sport is played. A number of the cleat or spike configurations provided to date include the presence of a cleat directly under the metatarsal joint of the great toe of the foot or a multiplicity of cleats that extend across the metatarsal area. A cleat has been placed in this region of the foot because it is the theoretical center of gravity of the weight carried by that foot of the player. Accordingly, it has been believed that placing the spike in this locality will maximize the anchoring of the spike of cleat and hence provide the greatest utility of such cleats and facilitate the use of the shoe on dirt or turf.
Despite the theoretical advantages of providing a cleat beneath the metatarsal joint of the great toe, such a disposition of cleats is extremely uncomfortable for the wearer. Indeed, because the normal running impact sequence of the foot is a rolling motion, from a first contact with the ground at the outer portion of the heel to an impact of the weight of the body in the region of the inner portion of the ball of the foot, the weight of the player comes down hard upon the metatarsal joint of the great toe. Continual driving of such a metatarsal spike into the ground in this manner causes bone bruising and general soreness. To avoid this discomfort, players will lighten their stride when they strike a hard spot or stone which results in a loss of speed and stability.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a cleat configuration as well as a sole structure for a shoe which avoids driving of the spikes into the ground by the bones of the foot and protects metatarsal joints to maximize the comfort of the player so that maximum speed and stability can be realized.
A further problem associated with active sports, particularly those in which cleated or spiked shoes are worn and player collisons are common, is "turf toe." Turf toe occurs when the player has planted the shoe firmly in the ground to obtain traction and is then knocked or falls forward while the toe of the shoe remains planted. When the shoe is planted in this manner, the great toe is hyperflexed at the metatarsal joint which results in extreme pain, damaged ligaments, and, possibly, long term injury.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a sport shoe sole which minimizes the likelihood of hyperflexure of the great toe or "turf toe" while still maximizing shoe flexibility for player comfort.
An even further problem encountered by wearers of sport shoes and particularly those who play sports requiring the throwing of objects at high velocity is that the throwers typically use their body weight in tossing the ball or the like. When body weight is used in this manner, one foot is first planted forwardly of the player and then, as the object is thrown, the body moves forward onto the forward foot. During this motion and following the release of the ball, then, the trailing foot is dragged forward. When the trailing foot is dragged in this manner, the inner forward edge of the shoe is dragged against the turf or dirt. Furthermore, this dragging of the shoe often occurs with a great deal of force as a reaction to the forward thrust of the throwing arm. In fact, the dragging of the shoe is typically with such force that a significant amount of damage occurs to the forward portion of the shoe material or upper. Thus, through the course of a single game the shoe can be rendered worthless as it will no longer have its original structural integrity and will no longer protect the wearer's foot.
There have been attempts to prevent the destruction of shoes due to toe dragging. For example, it is known to apply a polymer-like material to the top and forward portions of the shoe to reinforce the upper and thus resist wear from toe dragging. However, applying such a coating to the shoe covers a large portion of the shoe and thus disadvantageously reduces the flexibility of the entire shoe. The reduction in flexibility in turn reduces the mobility and comfort of the wearer. Furthermore, applying a separate polymer coating in this manner has heretofore been a separate process from the shoe manufacturing process and thus requires that the consumer locate an individual who can reinforce his shoe in this manner. This disadvantageously requires the expenditure of time and money by the consumer and the resultant product is, as noted above, less than satisfactory.